Bottle carrier with partition



Sept. 7, 1965 J. v. MAHON 3,204,814

BOTTLE CARRIER WITH PARTITION Filed July 22, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l i Ill H 1' i a l 24 i 42 mil i 50 E 1 5" s I I 'MME z 1 EHZ 53H i 39" '1 i I l I t 5 i i 4 1 9 W36 I fur/6J5?! kJZn KMai on Sept. 7, 1965 J. v. MAHON BOTTLE CARRIER WITH PARTITION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' Filed July 22, 1964 J Z U Q a Q Q Q Q 7 Q l ---:l-:---i

Q 6 Q Q 6 q J a w m L Q 7% Q IIMIIIONJI I I l I| I I I I IIJWIIIII Q 5 Q Q Q Qa Q 5 Z L ||||1| I 0 a MW 0 5 00 Q a Q Imam-2227'" \Jbkn yjgezon United States Patent O 3,204,814 BOTTLE CARRIER WITH PARTITION John V. Mahon, Lansdale, Pa., assignor to Container Corporation of America, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 22, 1964, Ser, No. 384,357

3 Claims. (Cl. 220-112) The present invention relates to bottle carriers and more particularly to a form of folding paperboard carrier having open ends and with interior partitioning means.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a wrap-around type of paperboard bottle carrier having a major area of each end left open to display substantial portions of the labels carried by the bottles, and having foldable end panels partially closing the open ends, there being an internal partition or divider member within the carton for separating the bottles, such partition having abutment means for cooperation with the foldable end panels which will interlock with the structure of the end panels to hold such panels in positions to exclude light from parts of the bottles not covered by labels.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and improved form of divider partition to separate a group of bottles within a paperboard carrier.

Additional and more specific objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the drawings- FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the bottle carrier showing a partition in place therein;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the blank from which the carrier may be made;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the partition blank; and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the partition as it appears in set up form.

In the packaging of malt beverages, such as beer in glass bottles, the bottles usually carry a printed paper label. Such labels may extend part way or all the way around the circumference of the bottles but are usually terminated above the lower end of the bottle and below the bottle shoulder thus leaving portions of the bottle both above and below the label exposed. The carrier of the present invention, while having open ends to display the labels of the end bottles of the enclosed rows, also has marginal, upfolded, narrow panels on the carrier bottom wall and downwardly extending panels on the upper walls of the carrier which tend to exclude light from unlabeled parts of the bottles.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the carrier is preferably formed from a single blank of foldable paper board as shown in FIGURE 2. Referring also to FIG- URE l, the carrier comprises a bottom panel 1, side wall panels 2 and 3, inclined panels 4 and 5 joined to the upper edges of the side wall panels, and top panel sections 6 and 7 arranged to be overlapped to form a composite top wall.

Extended edge portions are hinged along the lateral edges of the blank to provide foldable reinforcing and light excluding panel sections. The extended sections on wall panels 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are indicated respectively at 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 and are preferably integrally joined by foldable gussets defined by score lines. Between the extended sections 11, 12 and 13 the gusscts, indicated at 16 and 17, are preferably V-shaped and symmetrically disposed relatively to the respective score lines 18 and 19, defining the lines of fold between wall panels 1, 2 and 3. The lines of fold between the extended panel sections and their attached wall panels are indicated at 20, 20.

Between the extended sections 12 and 14 and their counterparts 13 and 15, the gussets, indicated at 21 and ice 22 respectively, are defined along one side by score lines which are extensions of the score lines, indicated at 23 and 24, between wall panels 2 and 4, at one end of the blank, and wall panels 3 and 5 at the other end. These extended scores, indicated at 23a and 24a respectively, provide lines of fold between extended panel sections 14 and 21 and their counterpart sections 15 and 22.

The lines of fold between extended panel section 12 and gusset 21, and between extended panel section 13 and gusset 22, are formed by score lines indicated respectively at 25 and 26. The angles between the fold lines 25 and 23a and between fold lines 26 and 24a are preferably the same in the interest of symmetry in the shape of the carrier, but such angles may vary depending on the desired slope of the inclined wall panels 4 and 5.

Irregularly shaped, extended sections are formed at the ends of the top panels 6 and 7, indicated at 28 and 29 on panel 6, and at 30 and 31 on panel 7.

The extended sections 28 and 14 and extended sections 30 and 15 are separated by slits 34 and 35 respectively. At the opposite side of the blank the sections 29 and 14 and sections 31 and 15 are separated by slits 36 and 37 respectively. These slits, as herein shown, terminate at the fold lines 20, 2t) and meet the ends of the respective fold lines 38 and 39 along which panels 6 and 7 are hinged to their attached inclined panels. The angle of the slits may vary but this angle is preferably such that the edges of the respective panel sections 28, 29, 30 and 31 in the set-up carrier will conform with the slope of the inclined panals 4 and 5.

The top panels 6 and 7 are formed with U-shaped cuts to provide registering finger openings. The tabs formed by the cuts indicated at 41, 41 and 42, 42 are folded inwardly of the carrier and may swing between the bottles within the carrier through and thus form cushioning elements for ease in lifting the carrier.

The overlapping strip of each top panel 6 and 7 which includes the U-shaped finger openings is preferably formed to be readily torn away from the remainder of these panels. For this purpose a weakened line provided by short, spaced, angular slits, indicated at 43, is formed in panel 6 and a similar weakened line, indicated at 44, is formed in panel 7. Panel 6 is preferably disposed to overlie panel 7 and is formed with a displaceable tab 45 extending into panel section 29. This displaceable tab is preferably formed by making a line of short, spaced slits separated by small nicks. At one end, the slits defining the tab join with the line of slits 43 in panel 6, and at the other end, the line of slits defining the tab is extended to the free edge of the panel.

At the end of panel 7, adjacent the displaceable tab 45, panel 31 is suitably cut away, as indicated at 47, to be clear of the tab. At the opposite end of panel 7 a slot 48 is preferably formed which extends to the line of tear. This slot is desirable as it allOWs the panel 6 and attached section 28 to be more effectively secured outside the panel 7 and its downfolded section 28.

The carrier, herein shown, is designed for two rows of three bottles each and means are preferably included for engagement with the top or cap of each bottle. For this purpose die-cut openings 50 and 51 are formed along the respective fold lines 38 and 39. These openings allow a portion of the cap to extend outwardly of the carrier and serve to hold the upper ends of the bottles firmly in position Within the carrier.

The carrier may be secured about a bottle group either by hand or by suitable machinery. A group of bottles is placed on the bottom panel after which the end portions of the blank are swung up and around the bottles. The panel 7 is first brought down against the bottle tops. Thereafter, panel 6 is folded against panel 7 and secured to it, either by adhesive, previously applied to one or both contacting surfaces, or the securing may be effected by other means such as gummed tape or metallic fasteners.

At an appropriate point in setting up the carrier, which may be after the side panelshavebeen brought against the bottle group, the extended sections 12 and 13 at each end of the carrier are swung inwardly through approximately 180. These sections, if desired, may be secured to their attached side walls. If not so secured, they may be formed of such width as to brush forcibly against the bottles in reaching their inwardly folded positions and thus be restrained from outward movement.

The action of swinging sections 12 and 13 inward causes section 11 on the bottom wall panel to swing upward due to the gusset connections. The extended sections at each end of the carrier are preferably each formed with an inwardly foldable panel or flap 52, having curved margins which conform to the curvature of the bottles. The free adges of the sections 11 may also be curved to fit closely against the bottles.

At the same time that sections 11 are swung up by the inward swing of the sections 12 and 13, the sections 14, 14 and 15, 15 will be swung inward due to their gusset connection with the sections 12 and 13. Assuming that the inclined panels have previously been brought to their final position, the panel sections 14 and 15 will be brought to a position approximately at right angles to their attached, inclined panels when the sections 12 and 13 are in their final position along their attached side walls. The gussets 21 and 22 at the sides of the carrier extend from the upper ends of the respective sections 12 and 13 outwardly toward the adjacent open carrier end, and somewhat inwardly toward the axis of the carrier through its open ends. Gussets 21 and 22 when in final position thus form struts or braces tending to hold their attached down-folded sections 14 and 15 quite firmly in position and resistant to inward pressure.

Advantage is taken of this feature of holding the sections 14 and 15 relatively rigidly. After all parts are in final position except the extended sections 28 and 30, at one end of the carrier, and sections 29 and 31, at the other end, these sections, having had adhesive previously applied, may be swung down against the adjacent sections 14 and 15 and held firmly thereagainst by suitable pressure-applying devices until the adhesive has become set.

The down-folded panel sections on the inclined wall panels, taken together with the overlapping panels carried by the ends of the top panels and secured to the sections on the inclined panels, form a rigid top structure for the carrier permitting it to be manufactured from relatively lightweight paperboard and still have adequate strength for supporting its contained bottles. The inclined panels 4 and are held in rigid position by the extended end sections and these, in turn, add stiffness to the overlapping panels forming the composite top Wall.

By forming the carrier with the reinforced upper end structure, as illustrated, the lower edges of such end structure may extend well below the shoulders of the contained bottles and exclude light below the upper edges of the bottle areas upon which the usual bottle label is applied. In a similar manner, the upwardly folded sections 11 on the bottom wall effectively exclude light from the area between the lower ends of the bottles to lines above the lower ends of the labels. infolded flaps 52 tend to exclude light that might otherwise enter between the lower portions of the bottles at the ends of the rows.

The partition member employed with the carrier is indicated as a whole at 54. As shown in FIGURE 3, the partition is made from a single blank of folding paperboard of generally rectangular shape. The partition is suitably cut and crease scored to form two primary sections designated at 55 and 56 arranged side by side longitudinally of the blank on each side of a central longitudinal line of fold.

The blank is divided by transverse fold lines 57, 58,

Additionally, the

4 59, 60, 61 and 62 to provide two sets of panels indicated at 63a, 63b; 64a, 64b; 65a, 65b; 66a, 66b; 67a, 67b; 68a, 68b; and 69a, 69b arranged at opposite sides of the longitudinal line of fold.

The first panel section 63a, 63b is divided by a fold line 70. The second and third panel sections are divided by a cut line 71, to be described below in more detail. The third or middle panel section is divided by a fold line 72 aligned with fold line 70 and cut 72. The fourth and fifth panel sections'are divided by a out line 73 similar to cut line 71. The sixth panel section is divided by a fold line 74, aligned with fold lines 70 and 72 and cuts 71 and 73. These fold lines and cuts constitute the cen tral longitudinal line of fold.

The cuts 71 and 73 are so shaped as to provide foot members 75 and 76, integral respectively with partition parts 64b and 65a, and similar foot members 77 and 78, integral respectively with partition parts 67b and 68a.

When it is desired to assemble the parts into partition forming condition the sections 63a, 63b; 66a, 66b; and 69a, 6% will be kept in a common plane. The parts are folded along fold line 58 so that parts 64a and 65a are in face-to-face relation and likewise parts 64b and 65b. In like manner, a fold is made along fold line 61 so that parts 67a and 68a are in face-to-face relation and likewise parts 67b and 6812. This operation brings fold lines 57 and 59 into juxtaposed relation and likewise fold lines 60 and 62. With the parts in the positions indicated, the partly assembled partition is folded through 180 about aligned fold lines 70, 72 and 74 which will bring such parts into the relationship illustrated in FIGURE 4.

In practice, the partition is partially formed and as a part of its final formation it is inserted in position within a group of six bottles while such .bottles are resting upright upon the bottom panel of an unfolded carton. After the partition has been brought into position the side and top wall forming panels of the carrier will be folded into position and sealed, such as by means of adhesive.

The, partition member preferably includes a portion indicated at 80 which is engaged by the inner one of the top wall panels as it is folded into position. The use of portion 80 on the partition thus assures that it will be held in position with the foot members resting against the bottom panel of the carrier.

In order to assure that the triangular tab 52 will be held in position parallel with the bottom panel the partition is cut to form an abutment surface to hold down the end of this tab. As shown in FIGURE 3, similar cuts are made in the parts 63a, 63b and in the parts 69a and 6%, indicated at 81 and 82, at the opposite ends of the blank. These cuts form overhanging abutment surfaces, as indicatedat 83 and 84 in FIGURE 4, under which the parts 52 will be engaged. The vertical edges of panel parts 69a and 69b and the edges of the equivalent parts 63a and 63b at the opposite end of the partition will be so cut that when the partition is centered within the carrier and is in dividing position between the bottles enclosed by the carrier, the outer ends of the tabs 52 may slide downward along such edges and, after clearing the edges of the abtuments, will snap into position beneath ,them. -This is due to the fact that the tabs are hinged to the narrow strips 11 along a lightly creased score line 52a which causesthe tab to somewhat resist downward folding. Thus, the ends of the tabs will tend to press upward against the abutment surfaces 83 and 84 to hold the tabs firmly in position.

While the present description sets forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, various changes may be made in the construction Without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An open-end paperboard bottle carrier designed to contain two rows of labeled bottles and to display the labels on the end bottles of the rows, such carrier being of the wrap-around type and including a rectangular bottom panel, side wall panels on the edges of the bottom panel and top panels on the free edges of the side panels, the bottom panel having hingedly carried thereon at each open end a narrow, upwardly foldable end panel arranged to be disposed in parallel relation to the upright surfaces of the end bottles in the contained rows, each narrow end panel having on its free edge an inwardly and downwardly foldable, generally triangularly shaped tab symmetrically tapered to its free end which is receivable within the space between the upright walls of the end bottles, said tabs being foldable to a position approximately parallel with the bottom panel, and means within the carrier and independent of bottles carried therein for holding each tab in its downfolded position.

2. An open-end bottle carrier, as defined in claim 1, in which the means for holding the end panel tabs in downfolded position comprises a partition member designed to be held in place between the contained bottles and including a vertical panel extending longitudinally of the carrier between the bottle rows, said panel having undercut portions, each providing a downwardly directed abutment surface under which the tapered free end of the respective end tabs may be received to hold such tabs in approximately parallel relation with the carrier bottom panel.

3. An open-end bottle carrier, as defined in claim 2, in which the longitudinal vertical panel of the partition member has a free vertical edge spaced from the upfolded, narrow end panel at each end of the carrier at a distance somewhat less than the length of the end panel tab, whereby the end of the tab will bear against such vertical partition edge when downfolded and will snap into place beneath the downwardly directed abutment on the vertical panel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,785,416 12/30 La Bombard et a1. 217- 2,381,543 8/45 Inman 229-28 2,922,561 1/60 Currivan 206 X 3,016,182 1/62 Chidsey 220-112 X 3,064,871 11/62 Wood 22915 3,121,523 2/64 Hassels 20665 X 3,128,010 4/64 Forrer 220112 GEORGE O. RALSTON, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN OPEN-END PAPERBOARD BOTTLE CARRIER DISIGNED TO CONTAION TWO ROWS OF LABELED BOTTLES AND TO DISPLAY THE LABELS ON THE END BOTTLES OF THE ROW, SUCH CARRIER BEING OF THE WRAP-AROUND TYPE AND INCLUDING A RECTANGULAR BOTTOM PANEL, SIDE WALL PANELS ON THE EDGES OF THE BOTTOM PANEL AND TOP PANELS ON THE FREE EDGES OF THE SIDE PANELS, THE BOTTOM PANEL HAVING HINGEDLY CARRIED THREON AT EACH OPEN END A NARROW, UPWARDLY FOLDABLE END PANEL ARRANGED TO BE DISPOSED IN PARALLEL RELATION TO THE UPRIGHT SURFACES OF THE END BOTTLES IN THE CONTAINED ROWS, EACH NARROW END PANEL HAVING ON ITS FREE EDGE AN INWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY FOLDABLE, GENERALLY TRIANGULARLY SHAPED TAB SYMMETRICALLY TAPERED TO ITS FREE END WHICH IS RECEIVABLE WITHIN THE SPACE BETWEEN THE UPRIGHT WALLS OF THE END BOTTLES, SAID TABS BEING FOLDABLE TO A POSITION APPROXIMATELY PARALLEL WITH THE BOTTOM PANEL, AND MEANS WITHIN THE CARRIER AND INDEPENDENT OF BOTTLES CARRIED THEREIN FOR 